Closure flap manipulating mechanism for carton filling machine



Feb. 12, 1957 c. z. MONROE ETAL 5 3 CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATING MECHANISMFOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet l 1 1957c. z. MONROE ETAL CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLINGMACHINE I Filed July 15, 1955 10 sheets sheet 2 ENYEQNTQW Chqfles27.0?08 Dwught G er-mm.

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CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE FiledJuly 15, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 NYDNFIQM Char- (es Z. -Tnarxr'oe tGav-man.

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CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE FiledJuly 15, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 W Charles Z. nonr'o Dwight German Feb.12, 1957 2 MONROE EI'AL 2,780,900

CLOSURE FLA MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE Filed July15, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 IQBA Charles Z.GTYlQr\r-ce wight G ear-man1957 c. z. MONROE EI'AL CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTONFILLING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 15, 1953 v EN qfl. J V m nW V kwq e wwmw N Z a m ml ,1 C? w 1957 c. z. ONROE ETA CLOSURE FLAANIPULAT FOR CARTON FILLIN Filed July 15, 1955 2,780,900 a MECHANISMACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 ENVENTQW Charlefi Z. m v roe Dwight G r-munQua... W s

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CLOSURE FLAi MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE Filed.July 15, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 Fig-1 EINVENYOW Chow (as Z.Q'Y\onv-oeDwi ht Ger-man TTQRNE Yn/ United States Patent CLOSURE FLAP MANIPULATINGMECHANISM FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINE Charles Z. Monroe, Detroit, Mich,and Dwight German,

I Angeles, (Jalifi, assignors to Ex-Cell-Q Corporatron, Detroit, Mich, acorporation of Michigan Application July 15, 1953, Serial No. 368,136

7 Claims. (Cl. 53-284) This invention relates generally to packagingmachines for filling and closing cartons, and more particularly to amechanism for manipulating closure flaps on cartons.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved flapmanipulating mechanism for a machine adapted to fill and close cartonshaving a plurality of closure flaps. T he invention is applicableparticularly to the manipulation of closure flaps on rectangular tubularcartons having four closure flaps at each end. Such cartons are oftenemployed for packaging ice cream or the A further object of theinvention is to provide an improved mechanism adapted to close thebottom flaps of a carton and open the top flaps in preparation for thefilling of the carton, and then to close the top flaps after the fillingoperation.

A more particular object is to provide a reliable yet simple mechanismfor folding a carton flap forwardly while the carton is moving in thesame direction. In this aspect, the invention is applicable either toopening a leading flap or to closing a trailing flap.

It is a further object to provide a mechanism in which arms or fingersare arranged on a rotatable sprocket or the like of a carton conveyor soas to manipulate the leading or trailing closure flaps on cartons as thelatter approach or depart from the sprocket on the conveyor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following description, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a general side elevation of a particular packaging machineembodying an exemplary flap manipulating mechanism constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a general plan view of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged horizontal section, taken generallyalong a line 33 in Fig. 4, and showing certain details of a cartonfeeding mechanism, a transfer turret, a conveyor and flap manipulatingelements adapted to manipulate certain of the bottom flaps of a carton,a hood for the conveyor being removed for clarity of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical section taken through thetransfer turret and a sprocket of the conveyor, generally along a lineid in Fig. 3, and showing additional details of the flap manipulatingelements of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the conveyor, showingcertain details of a conveyor chain, a conveyor receptacle carried onthe chain, and a flap manipulating shoe or arm.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic view showing aportion of a carton in section and the flap manipulating shoe of Fig. 5in elevation.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom portion of thecarton, with its two inner flaps in a substantially closed position.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view showing the conveyor andcertain flap manipulating elements 2,780,900 Patented Feb. 112, E?

adapted to act on the top flaps of the carton before and after thefilling of the carton, the actual filling mechanism being removed.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along aline 99 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the conveyor and certain of the flapmanipulating devices, as viewed from the plane of the line l d-l0 ofFig. 8.

Figs. l1 and l2 are enlarged transverse vertical sectional views throughdevices for closing the outer carton flaps, taken respectively alonglines l1-l1 and l212 of 10.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken generallyalong a line 13l.3 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view through thefiller head, taken generally along a line i l-i4 in Fig. 2, and showingcertain details of the top fiap manipulating elements.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, a preferred embodiment has been shown in thedrawings and will be herein described in some detail, but it is to beunderstood that there is no intention to limit the invention to thespecific form disclosed, the intention being, on the contrary, to coverall equivalents, modifications and alternative constructions fallingwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is hereexemplified in a flap manipulating mechanism embodied in a particularpackaging machine 59 adapted in this instance to receive ice cream inserni-luent form from a continuous freezer and to pack the same intopaper cartons for retail distribution. The machine 58 is organized upona caster-supported frame structure or table 51 having an enclosure whichhouses a main driving motor M and a pump driving motor PM, together withassociated power transmitting mechanisms. The top 52 of the table 51supports a carton feeding and transfer mechanism 53 which is adapted topresent folded or knocked-down carton blanks C to a conveyor $4, theblanks being erected into open-ended tubular form as an incident to suchtransfer. Operatively associated with the conveyor 54 and also mountedon the table top 52 are carton flap closing devices 55 and 56 togetherwith a carton filler head assembly 53. All of the carton handlingdevices just mentioned are driven in timed relation from the motor Mthrough suitable gearing. With the foregoing arrangement each erectedcarton blank is moved into engagement with bottom flap closure meansincluding a latching device 55, thence passing under the .illcr headassembly 5'8 where it receives a measured quantity of ice cream. Thefilled carton is thereupon moved into engagement with the top flapclosure means including second latching device from which it istransferred to a discharge chute 59. in actual operation, the machine 50fills cartons with remarkable speed and discharges them in a constantprocession at a rate which is proportional to the discharge rate of thecontinuous freezer with which the machine is associated.

The feeding and transfer mechanism 53 comprises a magazine till adaptedto hold a supply of the collapsed carton blanks C, a peeler wheel 2 forseparating the blanks individually from the pack in the magazine, arotary transfer turret 61 for transferring the carton blanks C to theconveyor 54, and erecting means cooperating with the turret and theconveyor so as to open the collapsed blanks into tabular form as theyare presented to the conveyor. The feeding and transfer mechanism 53forms no part of the present invention, an'dhcnce is not disclosed indetail in this application.

' For a detailed disclosure, reference should be had to our co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 368,134, filed July 15,

1953 which discloses and claims the magazine as a distinct invention,and our co-pending application, Serial No. 255,074, filed November 16,1951, now U. S. Patent No. 2,747,473, which discloses and claims theconstruction of the peeler wheel, transfer turret and erecting means. Acomplete disclosure of the feeding and transfer mech anism 53 is alsocontained in our original, parent application, Serial No. 18,034, filedMarch 30, 1948, and issued January 5, 1954 as Patent 2,665,044. All ofthese are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, each of the carton blanks C comprises a set offour flaps A, B, X and Y at its lower end. Identical flaps AA, BB, XXand YY are provided at its upper end. The flap B is generallyrectangular and is adapted to be folded inwardly first when the carton Cis to be closed. Next to be folded inwardly is the flap A which isopposite the flap B. The tlap Y is hooked and the flap X is slitted sothat these parts may be latched to complete the closure.

Turning now to Figs. 3, 8 and 13, it will be perceived that the conveyor54 is provided with a series of three sided gen :rnlly rectangularcarton receptacles 13h adapted to receive the cartons C from the turret61. In order to obtain lateral support for the outermost side of theblank C and thus retain the same in a fully erected or squared conditionwithin the receptacle 130, a stationary horizontal side rail 12 isprovided (Figs. 3 and 4), the leading end of such rail being supportedupon a bracket 64A.

In the present instance the three-sided carton receptacles are mountedon a continuous horizontal loop of chain 131 stretched between an idlersprocket wheel 132 and a driving sprocket wheel 133, being guided bymeans of channel members 134 which also provide intermediate support.For purposes of protection, the conveyor is covered by an overlyingoblong hood 135 of sheet metal.

The idler sprocket 132 is bolted or otherwise rigidly fixed to a hollowspool-like member 136 journaled for rotation upon an upstandingstationary shaft 138 located in the general vicinity of the transferturret 61. On the other hand, the driving sprocket 133, which has thesame diameter as the idler 132, is pinned or keyed to an upstandingrotatable shaft 139 (Fig. 14). The latter is driven from the motor Mthrough a variable speed transmission 140, a gear box 140A, and asuitable shaft coupling 141 (Figs. l. and 2).

At spaced apart intervals, certain links in the conveyor chain 131 areprovided with lateral extensions 142 which carry the three'sided cartonreceptacles 130. Preferably the spacing between successive ones of theextension 142 is such that the receptacles 139 will lie 120 degreesapart as they pass around the sprocket wheels 132, 133. Since each ofthe latter in the present instance has twelve teeth, every fourth linkin the chain 131 is arranged to carry a receptacle 130.

Two distinct arrangements are utilized for closing the bottom flaps ofthe carton prior to filling of the same. One such arrangement serves toclose the inner pair of bottom flaps A, B, while the other, heretoforereferred to by the numeral 55, serves to close and latch the outer orinterlocking bottom flaps X, Y.

Considering first the means for closing the inner flaps A, B, it will benoted upon reference to Figs. 4, and 6 that when the carton blank isfinally positioned in the receptacle 130, the flap A occupies a leadingposition and the flap B a trailing position with respect to thedirection in which the receptacle is moving. Consequently, before thecarton has been moved very far, the lower edge of the leading flap Awill be accosted by an inclined guide shoe 144 which commences to camthe flap A rearwardly and upwardly toward its closed position.

Provision is made for suddenly accelerating the trailing flap B andthereby moving the same into its fully closed position prior to closureof the flap A, such action taking place even after the shoe 144 hascommenced the closure of the flap A. Furthermore, the foregoingacceleration of the flap B is achieved as an incident to the normaldriving motion of the conveyor and without the use of parts movingindependently thereof. To this end, the spool-like idler 136 of theconveyor is fashioned with an annular flange 145 (Figs. 4 and 5) ofsubstantially greater diameter than that of the conveyor idler sprocket132. Mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship along theperiphery of the annular portion 145 and spaced at intervalscorresponding to the spacing between successive ones of the receptaclesare a plurality of upstanding tucking fingers 146. Each of the fingers146 (Fig. 6) is formed with a curved knuckle portion 146A which in thepresent instance is defined by a reversely bent upper end portion.

With the foregoing construction, the linear velocity of any one of thefingers 146 at any particular instant will be substantially greater thanthe linear velocity of the conveyor chain 131 to which each of thereceptacles 130 is attached. This is due to the difference in thediameters of the sprocket 132 and the flange 145, such difference makingit possible for the fingers to move upon a greater radius than that uponwhich the chain 131 is driven. it will be noted from Fig. 2 that one ofthe fingers 146 trails behind each conveyor receptacle 139 as the latterswings in a semi-circular path around the sprocket 132. Along thissemi-circular path, the angular velocity of the receptacle 130 is thesame as that of the finger 146, while the linear speed of the receptacleis somewhat greater than that of the chain 131, due to the fact that theradius of the path of the receptacle is greater than the radius of thesprocket 132. As the receptacle 130 approaches the end of itssemicircular path, it is presented with one of the cartons C. When thereceptacle 130 and the carton C reach the point at which the chain 131departs tangentially from the sprocket 132, they are slowed down to thespeed of the chain, and thereafter they follow a linear path. Thisslowing down of the carton allows the finger 146 to overtake the cartonflap B. Turning once more to Fig. 6, this overtaking tendency isillustrated graphically, the linear advance of the receptacle and cartonbeing indicated by the distance d and the component of linear advance ofthe finger 146 during the same time interval being represented by thesubstantially greater distance D. By reason of the relationship justdescribed, at about the time the shoe 144 initiates closing movement ofthe leading flap A, the knuckle 146A of the finger 146 cams hard againstthe trailing flap B at a point close to the hinge line of the flap.Since the finger 146 is moving faster relative to the carton C than theshoe 144, and further since the finger contacts the flap B near thehinge line whereas the shoe 144 contacts the flap A at its lower end,the flap B will be suddenly swung to a closed position substantiallybefore closure of the flap A. The latter when closed, however, serves toretain the flap B in a closed position as the carton is moved intoengagement with the outer bottom flap closure device 55. During thistime, the outer bottom fiaps X, Y hang in depending relation to thecarton body and straddle the shoe 144.

With further motion of the conveyor driven receptacles 130, the erectedcarton is slid along the horizontal portion of the shoe-144 in such amanner that its interlocking flaps X, Y enter an inverted tunnel 148.The shoe 144 thereupon terminates and the weight of the carton is thenborne by a stationary guide or plow member 149 disposed longitudinallyof the tunnel 148 and in spaced apart relation with its side walls. Theinterior of the tunnel 148 is formed with an appropriate contour todefine a plurality of stationary longitudinal guiding elements (Fig. 11)which gradually arch the flaps X, Y over the plow member 149 and latchthem in a manner well known in the art. After the carton has completedits passage along the tunnel 148, all four bottom flaps are securelyclosed and the carton is then presented by the re ceptacle 13!) to thefiller head assembly 58.

Concurrently with the closure of the leading and trailinner bottom flapsby the shoe 144 and the finger 146, the top flaps are brought intoengagement with an overlying horizontally disposed shoe 150 having anupwardly inclined end portion 156A (Figs. 8 and 10). The edges of theportion 150A diverge laterally toward the horizontal portion of the shoe150. As the carton moves toward the tunnel 148, the leading inner topflap AA is accosted by the inclined portion 156A of the shoe 150 and isflattened down rearwardly over the carton body. The other inner top flapBB is also urged downwardly by the portion ESdA but assumes a trailinghorizontal position with respect to the carton body. At the same time,the upstanding outer top flaps XX, YY cam into engagement with thediverging edges of the inclined portion 150A of the shoe andconsequently assume a generally horizontal, outwardly extending positionwith respect to the carton body. Due to the marginal overlap of the shoe150 over the end of the carton body, the top flaps are maintained in thecondition just described until the carton is presented to the fillerhead assembly 58.

The filler head assembly 58 is adapted to fill the cartons C with icecream as they are moved around the conveyor sprocket 133 on the conveyor54. The means whereby the cartons C are filled form no part inthemselves of the present invention, and hence are not disclosed indetail in this application. These means are claimed as a distinctinvention in our aforementioned, parent application, now Patent2,665,044, to which reference may be had for a complete disclosure.

For the present purpose, it will suffice to note that the filler headassembly comprises a stationary semicircular bed 51 upon which thecartons C are permitted to slide in an arcuate path, an adjustabledouble guide rail ltSlA being mounted around the periphery of the bed topreclude dislodgement of the cartons from the conveyor receptacles 130.Disposed in concentric and overlying relationship above the bed 151 is arotatable annular valve member 154, secured to the shaft 139, and astationary annular valve member 155 which abuts against the uppersurface of the rotatable member 154.

To supply ice cream to the filler head assembly 58, three dischargelines 159, 160 and 161, leading from three separate freezers, may beconnected to the stationary valve member 155. The valve members 154 and3.55 are ported to supply the ice cream for predetermined intervals tothree compartmented funnels 165 dependingly mounted on the member 154.From the funnels 165, the ice cream passes directly into the cartons C,which are carried along the bed 151 in registration with the funnels.Shortly before the filling operation takes place, the carton C will bemoved upwardly against the end of the funnel 165 by means of a slightcam rise 168 (Fig. 10) in the annular bed 151.

Provision is made for manipulating the upper flaps on the cartons C. sothat these flaps will not impede the flow of ice cream into the cartons.To this end, a top llap manipulating wheel 153 (Figs. 8, 10 and 14) issecured to the shaft 139 in concentric, overlying relationship to thebed 151. As indicated earlier herein, the erected cartons C arepresented to the tiller head assembly with three of the top flapsextending outward from the carton body but with one of the inner topflaps, namely AA, disposed in a semi-closed condition over the cartonbody. In order to open out the flap AA in preparation for the fillingoperation, the flap manipulating wheel 153 is formed with a series ofangularly spaced spokes 166, each having an upturned leading edgeportion. The relative phasing of the wheel 153 and the moving cartonreceptacles 13a is such that a spoke 166 will accost the inside surfaceof the flap AA as a carton slides onto the bed 151 of the filler headassembly 58. At this point the carton C has not yet started around thesprocket 133 and is still moving in a straight line at the speed of thechain 1-31. This speed is proportional to the diameter of the sprocket133. However, the spoke 166is moving at a greater speed because it istraveling in a circle of greater diameter. For this reason, the spoke166 will gain on the carton C and open out the flap AA to a forwardlyextending position. This flap-opening operation occurs before thecartonC starts to swing in a circular path around the sprocket 133. As thecarton C enters this circular path it is accelerated by the chain 131 sothat the speed of the carton will be proportional to the diameter of itspath. While the carton is swinging around th sprocket it moves at thesame angular velocity as the spoke 166, so that contact is maintainedbetween the spoke and the flap AA. In order that the spokes 166 mayextend parallel to the edges of the fiaps AA, the spokes are slantedrearwardly with respect to the direction of motion of the wheel 153.

Provision is made for closing the top flaps of the carton C after thefilling operation has been completed. For the purpose of closing theseflaps in proper sequence, an arrangement closely similar to that alreadydescribed in connection with the bottom flaps is utilized. Accordingly,the flap mainipulating wheel 153 (Figs. 8 and i0) is provided with asecond set of angularly spaced spokes 217 alternating with the spokes166. Each spoke on the second set is fashioned with an upturned,forwardly projecting end portion or finger 218, which is adapted toengage the trailing inner top flap BB. As the cartons C reach the pointwhere the conveyor chain 131 departs tangentially from the sprocket 133,the cartons slow down from a speed proportional to their radial distancefrom the axis of the shaft 139 to a speed proportional to the radius ofthe sprocket. However, the finger 213 continues to move at a relativelyhigh speed proportional to its own radius, and thus is able to overtakethe flap BB and sweep across the top of the carton C so as to close theflap. As the flap BB is being closed, the leading inner top flap AA isaccosted by the upwardly sloping end portion 219 of a stationary guideshoe 220 overlying the linear path of carton travel. This closes theflap AA over the flap BB but leaves the outer or interlocking top flapsXX, YY, in upstanding relationship on either side of the shoe 220.

With further movement of the conveyor and receptacle 130, the filledcarton is moved under a tunnel 148A in the closure device 56 (Figs. 8,10 and 12). The tunnel 148A is the inverted counterpart of the tunnel148 used for interlocking the outer bottom flaps prior to filling andincludes a stationary longitudinal plow 149A similar to the plow 1-49.The tunnel 148A serves to latch and fold down the interlocking top flapsXX, YY, in a well known manner, thereby completing the packaging operation.

As the closed cartons leave the tunnel 148A, each is gradually strippedfrom its associated receptacle by a fixed lateral guide 221 (Figs. 2 and8) which positions the carton for entry into the discharge chute 59.Each carton is given a parting shove along the chute 59 by the longerside of its receptacle 136. With steady opera tion of the machine 50, aprocession of cartons forms within the chute 59 with the results thateach newly added carton displaces a prior one at the discharge end ofthe chute.

Since the operation of the machine has already been discussed in detail,a lengthy summary seems unnecessary at this point. It is believed,however, that a brief review might be helpful here. Thus carton blanksin collapsed or knock-down form are inserted in a stack in the magazine60. One blank at a time is positively separated from the stack by thepeeler wheel 92 and presented. to the transfer turret 61. As the turretrotates, the carton blank is partially erected and presented to anadjacent three-sided receptacle 13% carried by the conveyor 54, theblank being pressed into a fully erected position as it enters thereceptacle. After closure of the inner bottom flaps A, B, by the movingfinger 146 and the stationary shoe 144, the carton is slid along overthe tunnel 148 wherein the outer bottom flaps are closed and latched. Atthe same time the upper flaps BB, XX and YY are folded outwardly by theshoe 150, while the flap AA is folded inwardly. The carton then entersthe filler head assembly 58 where the flap AA is opened by the spoke 166on the wheel 153. The carton is then filled through one of the funnels165. As the carton leaves the assembly 58, the inner top flaps AA, BB,are closed by the moving finger 218 and the end 219 of the shoe 220.Further travel of the carton moves it under a second tunnel 148A similarto the tunnel 148 and thus the final closure and interlocking of theouter top flaps XX, YY is completed. Following this, the filled cartonis stripped from the receptacle 130 and directed into the dischargechute 59 by the lateral guide 221.

We claim for our invention:

1. In a mechanism for closing cartons having outwardly hinged end flaps,the combination of a first rotatable wheel member, a flexible conveyingmember mounted in driving engagement with the periphery of said firstwheel member, a receptacle carried by said conveying member and adaptedto receive a carton having one of its end flaps trailing with respect tothe direction of receptacle movement, a second wheel member ofsubstantially greater diameter than said first wheel member and coaxialwith the latter, said wheel members being rotatable as a unit, and afinger fixed to said second wheel member for rotation therewith upon aradius greater than that of said first wheel member and said flexibleconveying member, said finger having a linear velocity greater than thatof said receptacle and the carton therewith as said receptacle and thecarton depart tangentially from said first wheel member and move at thelinear velocity of said flexible tension member, said finger beingadapted to overtake the trailing flap of the latter and swing the sameforward to a closed position.

2. In a mechanism for closing cartons having outwardly hinged end flaps,the combination comprising a sprocket wheel, a conveyor chain mounted indriving engagement with the periphery of said sprocket wheel, areceptacle carried by said conveyor chain and adapted to receive acarton with one of its end flaps trailing with respect to the directionof receptacle movement, a wheel member coaxial with but of substantiallygreater diameter than said sprocket wheel, said sprocket wheel and saidwheel member being rotatable as a unit, and a finger mounted on saidwheel member for rotation therewith upon a radius greater than that ofsaid sprocket wheel and said conveyor chain, said finger having a linearvelocity component sufliciently greater than that of said conveyor chainto overtake the trailing flap of said carton and accelerate the sameforward to a closed position as said receptacle and the carton thereindepart tangentially from said sprocket wheel and move bodily with saidconveyor chain.

3. In a machine for packaging material into cartons having outwardlyhinged end flaps, the combination of a conveyor wheel, a flexibleconveying member disposed in driving engagement with the periphery ofsaid conveyor wheel, a receptacle carried by said conveying member andadapted to receive a carton, a flap manipulating wheel member ofsubstantially greater diameter than said conveyor Wheel and coaxial withthe latter, said wheel member and said conveyor wheel being rotatable asa unit, a pair of spokes unitary with said flap manipulating wheel andhaving a component of linear velocity substantially greater than that ofsaid tension member, one of said spokes being adapted to overtake saidreceptacle and the carton as said receptacle and the carton approachsaid conveyor wheel tangentially prior to filling of the carton and toopen out the leading flap thereof to a forwardly extending position, theother of said spokes being adapted to overtake said receptacle and thecarton as they depart tangentially from said conveyor wheel afterfilling of the carton and to swing the trailing flap thereof forward toa closed position.

4. In a mechanism for manipulating hinged end flaps on cartons, thecombination comprising a rotatable wheel element, a flexible conveyingelement trained part way around said wheel element in driving engagementtherewith and extending tangentially thereto, a receptacle carried bysaid conveying element outwardly thereof for receiving a carton, saidreceptacle being movable with said conveying element in a curved pathextending around said wheel element and in a pair of straight pathsextending tangentially to said curved path, a flap manipulating membermounted on said wheel element and overtaking the carton and folding aflap thereof in the direction of movement thereof as the carton movesalong one of said straight paths adjacent its point of tangency withsaid curved path.

5. In a mechanism for manipulating hinged end flaps on cartons, thecombination comprising a rotatable wheel element, a flexible conveyingelement trained part way around said wheel element in driving engagementtherewith and extending tangentially thereto, a receptacle carried bysaid conveying element outwardly thereof for receiving a carton andmoving the carton around said wheel element in a curved path andtangentially into and out of said curved path in first and secondstraight paths. and a flap manipulating arm rigidly connected to saidwheel element and extending outwardly therefrom for overtaking thecarton as it approaches said wheel element along said first straightpath and folding a flap of said carton in the direction of movementthereof.

6. In a mechanism for manipulating hinged end flaps on cartons, thecombination comprising a rotatable wheel element, a flexible conveyingelement trained part way around said wheel element in driving engagementtherewith and extending tangentially thereto, a receptacle carried bysaid conveying element outwardly thereof for receiving a carton andmoving the carton around said wheel element in a curved path andtangentially into and out of said curved path in first and secondstraight paths, and a flap manipulating arm rigidly connected to saidwheel element and extending outwardly therefrom for overtaking thecarton as it departs tangentially from said wheel element along saidsecond straight path and folding a flap of said carton in the directionof movement thereof.

7. In a mechanism for manipulating hinged end flaps on cartons, thecombination comprising a rotatable wheel element, a flexible conveyingelement trained part way around said wheel element in driving engagementtherewith and extending tangentially thereto, a receptacle carried bysaid conveying element outwardly thereof for receiving a carton andmoving the carton around said Wheel element in a curved path andtangentially into and out of said curved path in first and secondstraight paths, and first and second flap manipulating arm elementsrigidly connected to said wheel element and extending outwardlytherefrom, said first flap manipulating arm element being disposed toovertake a first flap of the carton as the carton approaches said wheelelement along said first straight path and to fold the first flap in thedirection of movement of the carton, said second flap manipulating armelement being disposed to overtake a second flap of the carton and foldthe second flap in the direction of movement of the carton as the latterdeparts from said wheel along said second straight path.

No references cited.

